Support means with flow conduit therein for ceilings, walls and floor constructions



Oct. 25, 1966 E. ROTHENBACH LOW GONDUIT TH 3,280,530 s, WALLS SUPPORTMEANS WITH F EREIN FOR CEILING AND FLOOR CONSTRUCTIONS Filed Oct. 16,1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 5

Oct. 25, 1966 E. ROTHENBACH 3 SUPPORT MEANS WITH FLOW CONDUIT THEREINFOR CEILINGS, WALLS AND FLOOR CONSTRUCTIONS Filed Oct. 16, 1963 4Sheets-Sheet 2 78 go a:

INVENTOR ERNST ROTHENBACH 3,280,530 LINGS,

E. ROTHENBACH CONDUIT Oct. 25, 1966 WALLS THEREIN FOR CEI TRUCTIONSSUPPORT MEANS WITH FLOW AND FLOOR CONS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 16

INVENTOR ERNST ROTHENBACH Oct. 25, 1966 E. ROTHENBACH 3,280,530 SUPPORTMEANS WITH FLOW CONDUIT THEREIN FOR CEILINGS. WALLS AND FLOORCONSTRUCTIONS Filed Oct. 16, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR ERNSTROTHENBACH such control medium.

United States Patent 3,280,536 SUPPORT MEANS WITH FLGW CONDUIT THERE- INFUR CEILINGS, WALLS AND FLOOR CON- STRUCTIONS Ernst Rothenbach,Kusnacht, Zurich, Switzerland, assignor to Strarnax Ahtiengesellschaft,Zurich, Switzeriand, a corporation of Switzerland Filed Get. 16, 1963,Ser. No. 316,587 Claims priority, application Switzerland, (Pet. 18,1962, 12,186/ 62 3 Claims. (Ci. 52-431) The present invention relates toimprovements in support elements for ceilings, walls and floorconstructions advantageously employed in conjunction with radiantheating and apparatus for influencing the climate in rooms, spaces orthe like.

Apparatus in the form of heating ceilings or heating walls provided withpipes or tubes embedded in concrete, or also in the form of suspended orunderslung ceilings provided with heat exchanging or distributing platesare known to the art. In installations of this type the heat exchangingor distributing plates are secured to the heating tubes or pipes inorder to obtain in this manner large heating surfaces with relativelylow surface temperature, whereby the heat distributing or exchangingplates are secured to the tubes by means of clamping springs forexample. Since such tubes exhibit a relatively small bending resistanceit is therefore only possible to freely span small Widths. Thus, whenworking with larger span widths the heating ceiling must be secured toan auxiliary support or carrier construction. In the known constructionsit was furthermore necessary to provide an additional carrying orsupport system for the reception of the nonheated ceilings or wallportions, and at which such nonheated portions could be connected.

Furthermore, devices are also known to the art which provide acombination of heating with room ventilation installations and airconditioning installations, whereby ventilation takes place through thehollow spaces or compartments of the non-heated ceiling or wallportions, or such hollow spaces are employed for housing distributionchannels of the ventilation system. Also, with such a combined airconditioning system it is necessary to provide special support systemsfor the heating and ventilating elements and which are not identicalwith the ceiling support elements.

Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is the provisionof an improved device by means of which the problems regarding theaforementioned support construction can be solved in a particularlyadvantageous and simple manner in that, the support construction for theceiling simultaneously also serves as the support construction for theheating and/or cooling tube system, and in addition thereto, possiblyalso serves for the conduits of an air conditioning system.

According to the present invention the support member is manifested by aconstruction which forms at least one hollow compartment or space forguiding an influencing or control medium, or is constructed forreceiving a conduit for guiding a control medium, e.g. water, air or anelectric current. Furthermore, such is provided with means for holdingheat exchanging or distributing elements. Thus, the support member canexhibit holding means for one or more conduits for the. control medium,such as water, air, electric energy or the like, or the support memberitself can be constructed as the conduit for It will thus be seen thatthe term control medium or means as employed herein is used in itsbroader sense as pertaining to any medium, substance, energy form orotherwise used for influencing the climatic conditions of the areas,rooms, etc. being served.

Still further objects and the entire scope of applicability of thepresent invention Will become apparent from the detailed descriptiongiven hereinafter; it should be understood, however, that the detaileddescription and specific examples, while indicating preferredembodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only,since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope ofthe invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from thisdetailed description.

In the drawings wherein like reference numerals generally denote similaror analogous elements:

FIGURE 1 illustrates a support member provided with holding means for atleast one conduit;

FIGURE 2 illustrates a support member provided with at least twoconduits;

FIGURE 3 illustrates a support member which itself is constructed as aconduit member;

FIGURE 4 illustrates a further embodiment of a support memberconstructed as a conduit;

FIGURE 5 schematically illustrates an arrangement of support memberscombined with heating members;

FIGURE 6 schematically illustrates a carrying or support beamconstruction combined with apparatus for heating and ventilating, with acentral portion thereof removed for purposes of simplifyingillustration;

FIGURES 7-10 illustrate further embodiments of carrying or supportmembers constructed for the handling of two or three control mediums.

Referring now to the drawings and, more particularly, to FIGURE 1, itwill be seen that the therein illustrated embodiment of support orcarrying element comprises an essentially U-shaped carrier or supportmember 8 which may advantageously be formed of sheet metal. The carrieror support member 8 incorporates a web or flange portion provided with alaterally deflected, bulged or curved portion 9 accommodated to theexternal diameter of a pipe or tube member 2. The bulged portion 9 isprovided with slots 3 extending in substantial parallelism to the axisof the pipe member 2 and in which there is de posited weld beads whichconnect the pipe 2 with the carrier or support member 8. In thisembodiment the pipe member 2 is arranged at a location approximatingsubstantially one-half the height of the support member 8, and thereforeis disposed in the region of the so-called neutral Zone of the supportconstruction. It will be recognized that the upper flange 10a of thesupport member 8 is also provided with spaced openings 8a by means ofwhich a further conduit could be connected, or other structuresuspended.

The upper as well as also the lower portion of the support or carriermember 8 increases the bending resistance of such support construction.The lower flange 10 of the support member 8 is advantageously providedwith openings 11 and serves as the support for heat conducting orexchanging sheets or plates 6 and 7. The sheets or plates 6 and 7 are ofsimilar construction, that is to say, the non-illustrated left marginaledge portion or section of the sheet 6 is the same as the left marginaledge portion of the sheet 7 illustrated in the drawing. Both of the edgeportions 6a, 7a are arranged at right angles as shown, one, namelyportion 6a, being bent outwardly and the other, namely portion 7ainwardly. The marginal edge portion 7a at the left of the plate or sheet7, and which is bent inwardly, exhibits downwardly flexed tongues orfingers 12 arranged at uniform spacing from one another and winch areadapted to engage in the openings 11 of the support flange portion 16.In this manner the left edge of each sheet or plate member 6, 7 is fixedwhereas the right edge is freely supported. The support member 8 is thussupported at its ends in a non-illustrated manner upon a wall, a beam orgirder or other desired support structure.

In the embodiment of FIGURE 2 there is illustrated a rolled carrier orsupport member 18 possessing an I-shaped cross sectional profile and atthe lower portion 13:: of which two tubes or pipes 2 are supported bymeans of weld beads 4. At the lower flange 18b of the support member 18there bears flexed or bent edge portions ob of the heat conducting sheetor plate members 6. Recesses or cavities 19 are formed at the web 18c ofthe support member 18 in order to render such lighter in construction.If the support member 18 is loaded only by a small ceiling weight, itsown weight, the pipes 2 and the relatively light heat conducting plates6, then such can bridge large distances without intermediate supports.For purposes of weight-reduction it is also possible to construct thesupport member 18 as a lattice girder or support.

In the embodiment of FIGURE 3 the heat distributing plates have not beenshown, yet it will be understood that such could be arranged at thelower. flange 22a of the support member 22 in the manner of FIGURE 2, orcould be suspended as shown in the embodiment of FIGURE 1. In thisembodiment, the support member 22 essentially corresponds to the supportmember 8 of FIGURE 1, but here however, there is depicted a basicdifference as regards the pipe member 2. Whereas in the embodiment ofFIGURE 1 the support member 8 serves as a carrier or holding element forthe pipe 2, in the embodiment of FIGURE 3 the support member 22 isprovided with a semicircular flexed or curved portion 22' which togetherwith a semi-cylindrical portion 23 forms the conduit member. Both of theportions 22. and 23 are interconnected by means of two roll weld seams24 or by means of suitable adhesive means. Naturally, the flange 22acould be flexed in the opposite direction so as to impart to the supportmember 22 a Z-shaped configuration. As regards FIGURES 2 and 3 forexample,- both of the support members shown therein can rest upon aconcrete form and the rough plaster or pugging can be poured directlybetween the support elements.

In FIGURE 4 there is illustrated a support or carrier member 46 formedof two similar elements 51, one of which is turned 180 about itslongitudinal axis with respect to the other and each provided withflange means 52, :at least the lower flange-means of which exhibitsuniformly spaced openings 53. Each element 51 incorporates a verticalportion 52a arranged adjacent the associated flange 52 and which. mergeswith an inclined portion 52b, the latter of which adjoins with a furthervertical port-ion 52c. The portion 520 in turn connects with anoppositely inclined portion 525 which joins with a further vertical legportion 52e lying above the flange 52 of the other element 51.

The openings 53 disposed in the lower flange 52 serve to hold heatdistributing or conducting plates 6 and 7, similar to those described inconjunction with FIGURE 1. In this figure both the right and leftmarginal edges of the plate 6 are shown, whereas only the right marginaledge of plate 7 is illustrated. At the right marginal edge portion ofthe plate member 7 there are provided bent or exed integral tongues orfingers 54 arranged at uniform spacing from one another, and which inthe assembled condition of the plates 6 and 7 engage in the openings 53of the lower flange 52 of the support member 46. If the hollowcompartment or space 52 enclosed by the members 51 serves for the infeedof air, then the heat distributing plates 6 and 7 can be provided with adevice 55 which guarantees for the receipt and connection with a heatingor radiator pipe 56 for example.

The ceiling illustrated in FIGURE is provided with heated supportmembers 58a in the form of profiledpipes or tubes 58. The profile orsection of the support members 58a corresponds to an inverted T, so thatthere projects below two oppositely directed flanges 58]). At theseflanges 58b there bears the flexed marginal edges 6C of the heatdistributing plates 6. Upon these marginal edges do there in turn bearsthe edges 5% of plates 59,

formed of heat insulating material, such that there remains between theplates 6 and 59 an air cushion or compartment 69. The hollow, invertedT-shaped support members 58a are closed at both of their ends by meansof welded plates 61, and are connected with one another by means ofconnecting pipes or conduits 62. In this manner there is formed a closedsystem through which flows the control medium in the direction of thearrows shown in FIGURE 5.

In FIGURE 6 there is shown a further embodiment of a heated ceiling inwhich the support members 77a are heated electrically. The supportmembers 7711 embody an upper portion '77 of T-shaped cross-section whichcan be supported at its ends at any convenient location, and furtherincorporates a lower, laterally displaced, likewise T-shaped portion 78,the web 78a of which however, is provided with a hollow space orcompartment 78:) in which there is disposed an electrically insulatedheat conductor 79. The lower flanges 780 of the heated T shaped portion78 serve as supports for heat distributing or conducting plates 6. Theedges of the plates 6 are advantageously bent such that they cover theassociated flanges 7 8c, yet permit removal of the individual plates 6from the finished ceiling. Both of the T-shaped portions 77 and 78 ofthe support members 7711 are joined together by means of rivets 86 withthe introduction of a suitable intermediate heat insulating band orlayer 74.

A plate 59 formed of heat insulating material bears against the flexedor curved portion 73d containing the heat conductor 79, so that thereremains a hollow space or compartment 66 between this plate 59 and theheat distributing plate 6. In this hollow space or compartment so thereis located an electric connecting line or conductor 81 which providesthe necessary connection between the heat conductors 79. According tothe necessary heating requirements or load it is possible to connect theindividual heat conductors 79 in series, in a well known manner.

The rig-ht side of FIGURE 6, on the one hand, depicts the use of thesupport member 77a as a reinforcement support for the concrete form.Reference numeral 32 denotes the form board for the concrete form andnumerals 83 and 84% and 85 depict the frame portions for sup-.

porting the concrete form carrier. On the other hand, the left side ofFIGURE 6 depicts the support beam as the support for a hollow bodyceiling, but it is also possible to embed the support beam directly inthe concrete as a support rib, without use of hollow bodies.

FIGURES 7-10 illustrate support members and arrangements provided with aplurality of hollow spacesor compartments for the feeding of a number ofcontrol mediums, as for example air, fluids, electric energy and thelike, wherein the support members also always under take staticfunctions. It is thus possible that the support member also guides orconducts a number of mediums at different temperatures.

FIGURE 7 illustrates an embodiment of a heating, cooling, ventilatingand air conditioning installation in which the support members 86aconsist of two symmetrical forms or casings 86 which exhibit at theirlower crosssectional portions 87a a recess or flexed portion 87 for thereceipt of a tube, cable of a Peltier-column 88 for guiding ortransmitting the control medium. The flanges 89 serve to support orreceive the heat distributing or conducting plates 6 and 7. The hollowspace or compartment 60 is provided for transporting the climatic airwhich escapes through the openings $1 into the hollow ceilingcompartment, which air then flows into the space or room to be treatedvia the perfractions or openings 92 provided at the heat distributingplates 6 and 7, as shown. A collecting duct or channel 93 guides theclimatic air via conical sockets or means 94 into the hollowcompartments 6% of the support members 86a and numeral 95 represents aconcrete form bearing upon the aforesaid support memher. The portions ofthe perforated heat conducting plates 6 and 7 which are not necessaryfor the passage of the prepared air can be used for sound deadening orabsorption by employing appropriate materials, in a manner well known tothose versed in the art.

In FIGURE 8 there are illustrated the same support members 86a as inFIGURE 7, and for such reason similar reference numerals have beenemployed, with the difference that here Hourdis-bricks 96 arrangedbetween the individual support members 86a directly form the ceilingproper. Above the Hourdis-ceiling there is then applied an overlyingconcrete layer 97 reinforced with a structural steel web or reinforcingrod means 98. Reference numeral 99 represents an insulating layerapplied between the Hourdis-bricks 96 and the support members 86:: andserving to permit heat expansion as Well as simultaneously also forsound absorption. The insulating material here employed or, in fact,with any of the disclosed embodiments of support members may be of thetype used for sound absorption, heat insulation and against the formation of condensate.

In FIGURE 9 there is illustrated a support member 110 formed ofindividual portions 65, 66 and 67 providing three hollow compartments orspaces 60, wherein each portion of the aforesaid support member 110 isconnected with the other through the agency of a heat absorbing andsound absorbing layer 34 and 37, respectively. The support member can beprovided with openings, as at .45, for the passage of air or otherwise.It will be recognized that the portions 65 and 66 are here shown to beof substantially box-shape configuration.

In FIGURE 10 there is illustrated a possibility of use of the supportmember 120 with a plurality of transmission means for an installationfor climate control, especially for controlling the temperature in tworooms or spaces lying above one another. This embodiment shows acombination of a support member 120 provided with conduits orcompartments 60 for air and a heating medium for the lower space or roomand a special device for influencing or controlling the temperature inthe upper room. This arrangement embodies a support member 120 includingat least two box-shaped members 110, 111 andwhich is secured to asupport element 100a via the introduction of an intermediate insulatingconnecting layer 34, said support element 100a exhibiting receivinggrooves Cl ridges 100 for the insertion of pipes, heating cables orPeltier-columns, shown in phantom lines and generally designated at 101,and which function as floor heating means. At the support member 120there are provided openings 45 through which flows air which can arriveat the lower room or space through perforation means 103 provide-d at abuilding material plate means 102. The heating or cooling of the roomoccurs by means of the heat conducting plate 104.

When the carrying or support members of any embodiment are installed inan available wall between two rooms, compartments or the like, then thearrangement can serve as a wall heating or air conditioning unit withcorresponding purposeful arrangement of the heat conducting elements.The supporting beam or carrier means according to FIGURES 1-10 which,when such fulfill a carrying or support function in the ceiling, thatis, are embedded in the concrete, conduct the heat in the ceilingconstruction which is then utilized as a heat storage means.

While there is shown and described present preferred embodiments of theinvention, it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is notlimited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied and practisedwithin the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described the present invention, what is desired to besecured by United States Letters Patent, is:

1. Support means for mounting ceiling, wall and floor constructions andfor permitting fluent flow of a control medium behind suchconstructions, said support means comprising:

at least one support member formed of a pair of sub:

stantially identical elements; each of said elements including at leasttwo spaced apart coplanar face portions and an integral offset portiontherebetween directed out of the plane of said coplanar face portions todefine a flow conduit portion; said elements being disposed in opposedrelationship with said coplanar face portions on one element being inabutting contact with said coplanar face portions on said other elementand with flow conduit portions being directly oppositely from each otherto define a flow conduit; means interconnecting said elements in saidopposed relaitonship to thereby form said support member;

first flange means projecting substantially perpendicularly from atleast one of said coplanar face portions at one end of said supportmember for mounting a ceiling, wall or floor construction; 7

second flange means projecting substantially perpendicularly from atleast one of said coplanar face portions at the opposite end of saidsupport member for secur ing said support member to a fixed surface;

said flow conduit being spaced away from said first and second flangemeans and thus being disposed between said fixed surface and saidmounted construction to permit fluent flow of a control mediumtherebetween; said flow conduit being open-ended and being coextensivewith the length of said support member to assure that fluent flow of acontrol medium through said flow conduit will traverse said entiresupport member.

2. Support means as defined in claim 1 wherein said support meansfurther includes means for supporting heat distributing means.

3. Support means as defined in claim 1 wherein said flow conduit meanshas spaced openings therein to permit escape of the control medium whichflows therethrough.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,108,134 8/1914Cassity 33-211 1,190,824 7/1916 Vebelunas 52-738 3,001,001 9/ 1961 Bibb5228 3,080,022 3/1963 Mote 52-407 FOREIGN PATENTS 571,490 10/ 1958Belgium. 349,057 9/ 1960 Switzerland.

FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner.

RICHARD W. COOKE, JR., Examiner.

R. S. VERMUT, Assistant Examiner.

1. SUPPORT MEANS FOR MOUNTING CEILING, WALL AND FLOOR CONSTRUCTIONS ANDFOR PERMITTING FLUENT FLOW OF A CONTROL MEDIUM BEHIND SUCHCONSTRUCTIONS, SAID SUPPORT MEANS COMPRISING: AT LEAST ONE SUPPORTMEMBER FORMED OF A PAIR OF SUBSTANTIALLY IDENTICAL ELEMENTS; EACH OFSAID ELEMENTS INCLUDING AT LEAST TWO SPACED APART COPLANAR FACE PORTIONSAND AN INTEGRAL OFFSET PORTION THEREBETWEEN DIRECTED OUT OF THE PLANE OFSAID COPLANAR FACE PORTIONS TO DEFINE A FLOW CONDUIT PORTION; SAIDELEMENTS BEING DISPOSED IN OPPOSED RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID COPLANAR FACEPORTIONS ON ONE ELEMENT BEING IN ABUTTING CONTACT WITH SAID COPLANARFACE PORTIONS ON SAID OTHER ELEMENT AND WITH FLOW CONDUIT PORTIONS BEINGDIRECTLY OPPOSITE FROM EACH OTHER TO DEFINE A FLOW CONDUIT; MEANSINTERCONNECTING SAID ELEMENTS IN SAID OPPOSED RELATIONSHIP TO THEREBYFORM SAID SUPPORT MEMBER; FIRST FLANGE MEANS PROJECTING SUBSTANTIALLYPERPENDICULARLY FROM AT LEAST ONE OF SAID COPLANAR FACE PORTIONS AT ONEEND OF SAID SUPPORT MEMBER FOR MOUNTING A CEILING, WALL OR FLOORCONSTRUCTION; SECOND FLANGE MEANS PROJECTING SUBSTANTIALLYPERPENDICULARLY FROM AT LEAST ONE OF SAID COPLANAR FACE PORTIONS AT THEOPPOSITE END OF SAID SUPPORT MEMBER FOR SECURING SAID SUPPORT MEMBER TOA FIXED SURFACE; SAID FLOW CONDUIT BEING SPACED AWAY FROM SAID FIRST ANDSECOND FLANGE MEANS AND THUS BEING DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID FIXED SURFACEAND SAID MOUNTED CONSTRUCTION TO PERMIT FLUENT FLOW OF A CONTROL MEDIUMTHEREBETWEEN; SAID FLOW CONDUIT BEING OPEN-ENDED AND BEING COEXTENSIVEWITH THE LENGTH OF SAID SUPPORT MEMBER TO ASSURE THAT FLUENT FLOW OF ACONTROL MEDIUM THROUGH SAID FLOW CONDUIT WILL TRAVERSE SAID ENTIRESUPPORT MEMBER.